Justin. Accession of the emperor Tiberius Constantinus in
the East.

579. Maurice, commanding the Romans, is victorious over the Persians.

580. Further successes of Maurice in Mesopotamia.

582. Death of Tiberius and accession of Maurice, Emperor in the East.

584. Many native Gauls retire into Armorica, where they preserve their
Celtic tongue.

586. Cridda founds the last Saxon kingdom of Mercia. The Britons retire
to the western side of the island, unite in a general league, and call
themselves Cymri.

588. Northumberland is founded by the union of the kingdoms of Bernicia
and Deira, under Ethelric.

589. Arianism is abandoned by the Visigoths in Spain. 591. Peace between
Persia and the Eastern Empire.

597. Augustine sent by Gregory the Great to preach Christianity to the
Anglo-Saxons. See "AUGUSTINE'S MISSIONARY WORK IN ENGLAND," iv, 182.

602. Revolt in Constantinople; Phocas is proclaimed emperor; flight of
Maurice with his family; they are taken and put to death.

603. Khusrau, the Persian ruler, declares war against Phocas to revenge
the death of his benefactor, Maurice.

605. Phocas begins his cruelties; Constantina, the widow of Maurice, is
tortured and afterward beheaded with her daughters; Narses is decoyed to
Constantinople and there burned alive. The hippodrome is defaced by the
heads and mangled remains of the tyrant's victims.

607. Phocas concedes to Boniface III the supremacy of Rome over all
Christian churches.

608. Boniface IV consecrates the Pantheon--built by Agrippa to the
memory of his divine ancestors B.C. 27--as the Church of Santa Maria
Rotunda.

Khusrau II, King of Persia, invades Asia Minor.

610. Phocas is given up to Heraclius and beheaded; Heraclius declared
emperor of the East.

Venetia has an incursion of the Avars.

612. Caesarea, Cappadocia, taken by the Persians.

Syria is invaded by the Saracens.

613. Clotaire unites under his rule all the territories of the Franks.

The youthful Ali becomes Mahomet's vizier.

614. Damascus and Jerusalem are taken by the Persians under Khusrau II.

616. Alexandria and Egypt conquered by the Persians; another army
encamps at Chalcedon. Their general, Saen, introduces to Khusrau an
embassy from Heraclius, for which he is flayed alive, and the ambassador
imprisoned.

Death of Ethelbert; his son Eadbald succeeds him and restores the pagan
worship to England; he is afterward converted to Christianity.

First expulsion o